Gastric Bypass Surgery Timeline

The first bariatric surgery to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal is performed by Kremen and associates. This operation was a jejuno-ileal bypass.

1967

Surgeon Edward E. Mason at the University of Iowa develops the first gastric bypass surgery (referred to as intestinal bypass at the time) after noticing that people who had large portions of their stomachs or intestines surgically removed because of cancer or ulcers had dramatic weight loss no matter how much they ate.

Late 1970s

Biliopancreatic diversion is developed in Genoa, Italy.

1980s

The adjustable gastric band is developed by Lubomyr I. Kuzmak, MD.

1983

Mason founds the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons.

1988

Hess develops a hybrid operation with the advantages of Biliopancreatic diversion but without causing stomach ulcers and dumping syndrome comme with the original operation. It is called Biliopancreatic Diversion With a Duodenal Switch.

1992

Hess presents his new method to the medical community.

1993

The new Hess method is presented in a paper by Marceau, Biron et al.

1991

The National Institutes of Health endorse Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery as a valid option, but only for treating dangerous morbid obesity.

1991

Dr. Fobi's "Fobi Pouch" is approved by the National Institutes of Health. The artificial pouch becomes the person's stomach and food can then bypass the main stomach and bowel.

1994

The Lap-Band gastric belt becomes available in Europe.

1998

Roseanne Barr has gastric bypass surgery with Dr. Fobi and his Fobi Pouch technique. Eight months after the surgery, Roseanne informs the audience of her talk show that she owes her weight loss to the Fobi Pouch. This brings Dr. Fobi a great deal of attention.

Aug. 10, 1999

Carnie Wilson, singer for Wilson Phillips, has gastric bypass surgery, broadcasting it live over the Internet as an advertisement for her surgeon, Dr. Alan Wittgrove. The broadcast is viewed by more than 500,000 people. After this broadcast and the subsequent media attention, the number of surgeries Wittgrove performs increases threefold.

April 2000

John Popper of the band Blues Traveler undergoes gastric bypass surgery.

2001

The Lap-Band gastric belt becomes available in the U.S.

2002

The Today Show's Al Roker undergoes gastric bypass surgery and loses more than 100 pounds. The publicity surrounding his surgery causes a surge in gastric bypass surgeries in the United States.

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